This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 081,767, filed Oct. 4, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,565; issued Dec. 23, 1980.
In that copending application there is disclosed a drum-like container of fiberboard or similar material supplied in flat knocked-down form and adapted to be set up to serve as a shipping and dispensing container for bulk material. It is provided with a funnel-like dispensing bottom made up of fiberboard segmental wedge-shaped bottom insert sections which are supplied in flat knocked-down form and are adapted to be first set up and then positioned on the bottom of the container in a funnel-like arrangement with a central dispensing opening. Because the container disclosed in that application is multi-sided, specifically sixteen sides, which are provided by upright vertical panels hinged together, it is possible to have a single segmental bottom insert section for each wall panel and still obtain sufficient crushing strength at the bottom to resist the heavy weight of the bulk material packed in this type of container.
However, the present invention is applicable to a container of rectangular horizontal cross-section and if only one bottom insert segmental section were provided for each of the four sides to provide the funnel-like dispensing bottom, adequate crush-resisting strength would not result for the bottom. Therefore, this invention provides a structure which consists of a plurality of separate segmental wedge-shaped bottom insert sections cooperating with each side wall panel. Each section includes an upper material-directing wall having a pair of depending wedge-shaped support walls, each with a wider end outwardly at its cooperating side wall panel and having a lower edge resting on a bottom support means of the container. Thus, the plurality of depending support walls along each side of the rectangular container gives adequate strength to resist crushing of the funnel-like bottom.